Cockpit Sounds

[Matt Olieman]

It's my opinion (humbly of course), that sounds in a cockpit are just as important as the outside view.

Although we're limited to right and left sounds, it's amazing what you can do when you're slightly creative.... not that I am

I use a combination of midrange speakers and a bundle of tweeters, than two independently amplified 10" sub woofers.

I mount and adjust the sub woofers in a way you can not hear them except for a weeee bit of overtone, but will definitely feel them. So when retracting the gear and your touch downs are felt.

The tweeters are adjusted to simulate the outside and inside air noise.

Midrange are set so you hear the other cockpit sounds.

Tuning the sound files to match your cockpit makes a world of difference.

Certainly would like to hear about other sound set ups.

[Kennair]

Hi Matt,

As I mentioned in the other Shaker thread, I've recently added a couple of 15" Sub-woofers under my seats to give the rumble feel, however I can see the benefit of tweeking the individual sound sets, but I'm not sure how to do this. I've looked at the sound.cfg files and they don't make much sense. I could purchase FS Sound Studio as I'm sure that would be an easy way to do it. I have FS Panel Studio for panel tweeking for that very reason, but maybe there are others who have gotten their head around the multitude of numbers associated with the sound files and can share how to tweek them for best and most realistic performance.

Ken.

[Matt Olieman]

Unfortunately, I'm not much help regarding the tweaking, particularly to programs such as FS Sound Studio. I use a professional program called Sonar or also know as Cakewalk.

I'm sure there are freebies out there that would allow you to adjust or equalize and adjust the volume of the sound files, the way it would sound best for your cockpit.

Perhaps some ideas from someone else?

[JBaymore]

Ken,

Back in the let 60's I was a professional musician....spent a lot of time in recording studios. As a bit of a "tech weenie" I got into the audio engineering side of things a bit.

There are sort of three parts to "tweeking" the sound files and reproduction for the pit.

One is in the actual sound file recordings themselves. Some sounds for the sims are "better" than others. I have some payware sounds for my BAe 146-200 that were recorded from the actual aircraft and at high sample rates. Makes a world of difference. Really high quality audio however puts a BIG strain on the computer hardware and can KILL your framerates. If you don;t have good reproduction equipment.... high quality is actually wasted resources.... you can't HEAR it.

The second is how and where the sound is reproduced. Spatial location adds a LOT of realism cues. Nothing says you are limited to the sound from the sim itself if you are running a pit with multiple computers. I have sounds coming from four machine at present....will have two more eventually. Each machine presents two possible channels... so that is 8 potential locations if you just think straight stereo on each. You can set it up so that when the stewardess says "Coffee sir" it comes from the rear center if you like.

The third is adjusting the fidelity and frequency spectrum of the sound files you use. And /or editing sound segments together either sequenmtially, or "over" each other. You can also add low frequency "sound" that you can't really hear all that well... but stuff like the Aura bass shakers CAN then turn that into vibrations or solid "thunks". Sort of sub-sonics, if you will. You use a real sound editing package to deal with this kind of stuff (like Matt is using). This also allows you to patch together pieces of other sounds into one sound file and then assign it to any one of your sound sources.

One of the simplest things to do is to split Teamspeak off from the main flight sim PC. Then you route that sound source ONLY to your headphones. So when you talk to other pilots or online ATC...... it is coming thru your headphones. You can also install a switch and speakers in the pit so that you can route that voice comms to EITHER the phones or a cockpit speaker. Lots of possibilities.

Hope this starts you on thinking. I agree with Matt..... sound is as important as visuals.

best,

....................john


PS: There is a lot of information in the sound part of the Microsoft SDKs that can start you out with custom editing. When I start my four engine aircraft, the positioning of the sounds for EACH engine has been carefully set up using the "Panning" positioning (see the SDK) so that it is as real as I can get it within the constraints from the pit's sound reproduction hardware and the locations that the speakers are placed. For example, on startup and shutdown the outboard left engine whine is distinctly more "left" than the inboard left engine, and so on. LOTS of edits while sitting in the pit and listening to the results.

[Kennair]

Thanks John,

Really sounds like you've gone to a lot of trouble to get the realism you want. Very impressive!

Thanks for all the info. No problem with the audio editing component for me also, as I was a sound engineer in a previous life also. I'ts the MSFS sound config bit that has be stumped, but your pointer to the SDK is a good lead. I'll take a look.

Thanks again John.

Ken.

[Westozy]

Hi Ken, I have Soundforge, you can take it on Monday!

Gwyn

[zenandzen]

Hi all,
just to add to this ..... if anyone is in need of a FREE *.wav file editor i have used "Audacity" & it is very good.
Cheers
Gerry

[JBaymore]

I'll add my $0.02 to this aqbove comment ... yes, Audacity is a really great piece of freeware. You can do some seriously tricky work with it.

best,

..................john

[Bob Reed]

Also... PMSounds is free and you can turn on and off different sounds so as John has said you can get different sounds to different areas of the sim with it. I use a wav file editor to change the volume on the sounds that I feel are need changing. Remember it is a taste thing so everyones cockpit will sound a little different. Right now I am using 3 different sound sources and I may add one or 2 more.. The sound is VERY important and the only way to get it right for your pit is to tweak your own sounds... And it is a lot of fun to play with...

[AndyT]

This is something I had thought of in an offhand sort of way. Mostly because FSX lets me use whatever sound devices it can see on my machine. So if I have built-in sound and a couple of sound cards, I can split up my sounds to a bunch of different places. Great idea! Thanks guys!